Three Things that Won’t Die with Generation Z
While Millennials were constantly being accused of “killing” everything from casual dining chains to the diamond industry to the housing market, we have yet to see what popular trends and consumer brands will be brought down by Generation Z. However, there are some things we can guess that won’t die with Generation Z. Here are a few industries that will live on for another generation:
Physical Books
Even with the popularity of digital readers such as Amazon’s Kindle, the increase of e-reading through tablets and smartphones, and a growing number of ways to consume audio books, real books you can hold in your hands aren’t going away anytime soon if Generation Z has anything to say about it. Gen Zers prefer hardback versions of books over any other generation with nearly 39% choosing this method of reading over all others according to the Library Journal, and only 8.4% would choose an eBook as their preferred reading format. Additionally, environmentally conscious members of Generation Z are more likely to utilize the resources of their local library or purchase from a used bookseller, places that more readily carry physical books rather than digital copies.
Retail Shopping
Even though online shopping has received a substantial boost in recent years—especially in 2020 as more people were staying home due to Covid-19—there’s nothing that can quite match the experience of window shopping, smelling candles, trying on clothes, and browsing through your favorite physical retailer. Even though Generation Z is comfortable with cyber retailers and quick to utilize online shopping, as socially minded consumers they also tend to support small and independent business and local vendors. These local outlets often don’t offer expansive web stores or the rich customer experience of shopping in-person. Online shopping may rule the numbers game, but most physical stores—especially ones with great quality and excellent consumer connection—won’t be shuttering their doors anytime soon.
The Office Job
Even though 2020 caused many to work from home for a significant part of the year, surprisingly many in Generation Z were actually eager to return to the office and to their regular work routines. Of course this makes sense for a variety of reasons: this is a generation that is only just now getting their feet in the door at their jobs and building their careers; face-to-face social connections and networking opportunities are vital. They are also less likely to be managing children at home. Additionally, they may be forced to share their home co-working spaces with roommates or parents. It is no wonder some are ready to return to their cubicles or desk spaces in their office buildings. However, Generation Z will likely be the generation that pushes for future workplace advantages such as onsite childcare, a living minimum wage, diverse hiring practices, and equal pay for genders. Now that’s a workplace anyone would be more excited to get back to!